Thanks to those of you who have already contacted your legislators to ask them to remove the state budget provision that would prohibit local governments from using condemnation for recreational trails and bike lanes. If you haven’t done that yet, please do it now.

Thanks to you we’re getting the issue on their radar after it had been buried in a complicated, 19-page omnibus amendment.

Last night the budget passed the Assembly without any changes. That’s not surprising. We had little chance in that house. But now the budget moves on to the state Senate, where our prospects are better. They may vote as early as tomorrow.

The state budget before the Senate contains language prohibiting the DOT and local governments from using condemnation for recreational trials, bike lanes or bike or pedestrian ways.

As a Wisconsin resident and a cyclist I strongly oppose this provision.

These facilities make cycling safer and they reduce the conflicts that sometimes take place between cyclists and drivers. Moreover, recreational trails are a big and growing part of Wisconsin’s tourism industry.

This provision was slipped into the budget without public input or any debate. We don’t even know which legislator was behind it.

This is bad public policy and bad legislative process. Please use your influence as Majority Leader to remove this provision.